Rotary toothbrush



Patented May 13, 1924.

UNITED STATES JAMES ROBERT CRUIKSHANK, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH CGLUMBIA., CANADA. i

ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH.

Application filed October 5, 1922. Serial No. 592,654.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES ROBERT CRU1K SHANK, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at the city of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Rotary Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary toothbrushes, and the object yof my invention is to provide a brush of this character which is of the simplest construction and capable of being manufactured and sold at a low cost without impairing or detracting from its eiciency.

I attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is an outside view of the toothbrush.

Fig. V2 is an outside view showing the cap removed and operating handle extended.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. a is a cross sectional View of the cap taken through the line L1L1= of F ig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the socketed member and associated parts.

Fig. 6 `is a cross sectional View taken through the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the socketed member. i

Fig. V8 is a fragmentary detail view of the inner end of the spiral operating member.

Similar figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

The device consists of a tubular member 1 of suitable diameter and length open at both ends, and the bore 2 of which is parallel throughout its length, the lbore being reduced in diameter in close proximity to its right hand end, as at 3, by depressing an annular groove l in the tube Wall. Towards its opposite or left hand end the tube is depressed as at to provide an internal projection .6 on one side and directly opposite this projection is a semi-circular slot 7 `cut in the tube, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5. Freely mounted in the left hand end of the bore 2 is a socketed member 8 having a concentric socket 9 adapted to receive tightly when pressed thereinto the inner end ofthe brush head .stem 10, which stem may be formed of any suitable material and length .and which .is rotatably tudinal movement it is provided intermesupported at its opposite,ior outer, end in a bearing 11 formed in the outer end of a. guard 12 suitably shaped to comfortably protect the mouth wall from the brush while rotating. The guard 12 where it extends over the brush is formed concavo-convex both longitudinally and transversely. and terminates at its inner end in a ring 13 the bore 14 of which is bell-mouthed .so that" it may be vsprung tightly on to the end of the tube 17 which is tapered complementary to the taper of the 'bore 14, and when sprung into place the ring 13 covers the semi-circular slot 7 already mentioned. In order to hold the guard against inadvertent dislodgment the ring portion 13 is depressed at a point registering when in place with the tube wall depression 5 to form an internal projection 15 which engages the depression,

5 when the `ring 13 is assembled in position 7| on the tube.

.Als-already statedthe socketed member 8 is rotatably mounted in the bore of the -tube 1 and in order to maintain it against "longil0 diate its length with an annular groove 16 which ythe pro`ection 6 freely engages and this groove, w en the member is in place, registers with the semi-circular slot '7, thus enabling a semi-circular plate 17 to be placed freely into both the slot and' the groove so that the member 8 is held against movement longitudinally while at the same time being freely rotatable. The plate 17 is held in place by the ring 13 which covers it wheny the device is assembled and in order to permit the-socket to be placed in the tube it is provided with a slot 39 through which the projection 6 passes as the 'socket is moved into place.

Secured'concentrically into the inner end of the soclreted member 8 and extending longitudinally throughout lthe length of the bore Q of the tube v1 is a spiral bar 18 forming a screw member the opposite end of which extends between two oppositely arranged. ingers 19 and 20 formed on one vend of an inner tube Q1 -reciprocable longitudinally in thebore of the tube k1 and the diametery of which is such that it iits slidably A the restricted bore 3 formed by the depressed groove 4. Thespiral member 18 extends intothe tube 21 and the outer .ends of the lingers 19and 20 are turned inwardly,

Vas I-at.22 and 23, to engage freelyv the threads 1,10

of the spiral on opposite sides thereof, from which it will be apparent that reciprocation of the tube 21 rotates the spiral bar 18. Immediately behind the fingers 19 and 2O the tube 21 "is expressed so that an annular ridge 24 is formed which ridge contacts with, when the tube 21 is pulled outwardly to the end of its travel, the groove 4.- formed by the depression 3 and prevents the tube 21 frombeing drawn out of the tube 1.

The tube 21 is provided on its outer end with a knob 25 and the outeryend of the tube 1 is provided with a wire loop 26 capable of being swung to engage over the knob when the tube 21 is at the end of its instroke to hold it against movement, while 27' indica-tes generally a cap adapted to cover the brush head when not in use, which cap consists of two semi-cylindrical shells 28 and 29 hinged to each other at one edge, as at 30, and provided with any suitable spring catch .Y device 31 at their opposite edges so that when placed around the brush head the cap may be held closed until it is desired to use it. The brush member, indicated generally by the-numeral 32, may be of any suitable Vform such as a plurality of cylindrical brushes of any approved design or material mounted on and secured to the stem 10 so as to be rotatable therewith.

4 The manner in which the brush is used will be apparent. In use the cap 27 is removed and the brush member 32 held against the teeth, the guard 12 being held 1by the Vfingers of one hand, whereupon the brush may be rotated by gripping the tube 21, which forms the operating handle, by the lingers of the other hand and moving it back and forth longitudinally as long as is required.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A rotary toothbrush comprising a tube, a socket member rotatably mounted in one end of said tube provided at its outer end with a brush and at its inner end with a spiral extending longitudinally within the tube, and a second tube reciprocatory within the first one provided with forwardly extending oppositely arranged integral eX- tensions, the extremities of which are r'olled over inwardly and adapted to respectively engage the spiral on opposite sides thereof.

2. A rotary toothbrush comprising, a tube having'a semi-circular slot cut in its wall adjacent one end, a socketed member rotatably mounted in the slotted end of the tube provided at its outer end with a brush and at its inner end with a spiral extending longitudinally within the tube, said socketed member having an annular groove regu istering with the said semi-circular slot, a semi-circular plate fitting freely both the slot and the groove maintaining the sock* "eted'member inl rotatable position within the tube, and a second tube reciprocatory within the first-mentioned one having end fingers adapted to engageV freely the spiral on opposite sides of the thread thereof.

8. A rotary toothbrush comprising, a tube having a semi-circular slot out in its lwall adjacent one end, a. socketed member rotatably mounted in the slotted end of the tube provided at its outer end with a brush and at its inner end with a spiral extending longitudinally within the tube, said socketed member having an annular groove registering with the said semi-circular slot, a semi-circular plate fitting freely both the slot and the groove maintaining the socketed member in rotatable position within the tube, means for preventing inadvertent displacement of said plate, and a second tube reciprocatory within' the first-mentioned one having end'iingers adapted to engage freely the spiral on opposite sides of the thread thereof.

4. A rotary toothbrush comprising, a tube having a semi-circular slot cut in its wall on one side adjacent one end and a depression in the opposite side providing an internal projection, a socketed member rotatably mounted in the slotted end of lthe tube provided at its outer end with a brush and at its inner end .with a spiral extending longitudinally within the tube, said socketed member having an annular groove registering with the said semi-.circular slot and with which said internal projection engages, the said member being slotted to permit it to be passed over said projection when assembling, a semi-circular plate fitting freely both the slot and the groove, and a second tube reciprocatory within the first-mentioned one having end fingers adapted to engage freely the spiral on opposite sides of the thread thereof.

5.' A rotary toothbrush comprising, a tube having a semi-circular slot cut in its wall adjacent one end, a socketed member rotatably mounted in the slotted end of the tube provided at its outer` end with a brush and at its inner end with a spiral extending longitudinally within the tube, said socketed member having an annular groove registering with the said semi-circular slot, a semi-circular plate fitting freely both the slot and the groove maintaining the socketed member in rotatable position within the tube, means for preventing inadvertent displacement of the said plate, a second tube reeiprocatory within the tirstfmentioned one having end lingers adapted to engage freely the sprial on opposite sides of the thread thereof, and a cover for the said brush comprising a pair of semi-cylindrical shells hinged together and adapted to enclose the brushv when mounted on the end of the first-mentioned tube.

6. A rotary toothbrush comprising, a

tube having a semi-circular slot cut in its Wall on one side adjacent one end and a depression in the opposite side providing an internal projection, a socketed member r0- tatably mounted in the slotted end of the tube provided at its outer end with a brush and at its inner end with a spiral extending longitudinally Within the tube, 4said socketed member having an annular groove registering with the said sernicircular slot and With which said internal projection engages, the said member being slotted to permit it to be passed over said projection when assembling, a semi-circular plate f1t- 16 ting freely both the slot and the groove,

a guard concave-convex both longitudinally and transversely adapted to partly Surround the ybrush having its inner end formed as a ring adapted to engage the end oli the tube when passed thereonto and cover the said semi-circular plate, and a second tube reciprocatory Within the firstmentioned one having end fingers adapted to engage freely the spiral on opposite Sides of the thread thereof.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature at Vancouver, B. C., Canada, this 27 day of September', 1922.

JAMES ROBERT CRUIKSHANK. 

